Weapons
This gear category includes all weapons except those installed into vehicles (which are gained with Vehicle upgrades). Weapon Basics Weapon Proficiencies There are 16 weapon proficiencies: Blunt, Edged, Exotic (Blunt), Exotic (Edged), Exotic (Hurled), Explosives, Guided, Handgun, Hurled, Indirect Fire, Rifle, Shotgun, Submachine Gun, Tactical, Unarmed, and Vehicle Weapon. Also, there are 29 personal weapon categories: Blunt, Exotic Blunt, Edged, Exotic Edged, Hurled, Exotic Hurled, Backup Pistols, Holdout Pistols, Service Pistols, Backup Revolvers, Hunting Revolvers, Service Revolvers, Assault Rifles, Bolt-Action Rifles, Semi-Automatic Rifles, Break-Action Shotguns, Pump-Action Shotguns, Semi-Automatic Shotguns, Light Submachine Guns, Heavy Submachine Guns, Squad Automatic Weapons (SAWs), General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs), Explosives, Flamethrowers, Grenade Launchers, Missile Launchers, Mortars, and Rocket Launchers. In most cases, one weapon proficiency applies to all attacks made using any weapon in a category, as shown on Table 4.77: Weapon Basics. Grenade launchers employ two different proficiencies depending on their use (see page 298). Table 4.77 also lists the key attribute applied to weapon attacks, as well as the additional penalty for making an “untrained” attack check with a weapon from each category (i.e. an attack without the appropriate proficiency). Unless a rule specifically allows a character to apply a different proficiency when making an attack with a weapon, the proficiency listed here applies at all times. This is the case even when an attack’s type is changed (e.g. even though the weapon quality states that attacks with a weapon possessing the quality are considered unarmed, the quality does not allow the character to use the Unarmed proficiency with attacks using the weapon). Finally, Table 4.77 also presents the Damage save bonus of weapons in each category and the fire modes that may be adopted with weapons in each category. “Ready” Weapons The term “ready” or “readied” is used throughout Spycraft 2.0 to refer to a weapon that a character holds and may use to attack without delay (e.g. a knife in hand, a strung bow, a loaded and held pistol, etc.). This term has nothing to do with the Ready action. Fire Modes Firearms and heavy weapons may be used in one of three modes: Single-Shot, Burst, and Full Auto. A weapon’s mode dictates the actions it can perform in combat, as shown on Table 5.15: Actions (see page 352). Most weapons in each category can fire in only one or two of these modes, as shown on Table 4.77: Weapon Basics, though some specific weapons possess the quality, deviating from the norm. Weapon upgrades and other effects may also change the fire modes available to a weapon. Unless otherwise specified, switching between available modes requires 1 free action. Special Rules Guided Weapons A guided weapon can alter its course mid-flight to precisely strike far-away targets. All guided weapons possess the quality and require the Guided weapon proficiency for trained use. Guided weapons may not target characters — they must target a vehicle or structure. There are two types of guided weapons: self-guided and terminal guided. ' Self-Guided Weapons:' These “fire-and-forget” weapons include radar- and infrared-guided missiles and sonar-guided torpedoes. Their onboard sensor system and computer processor allows them to target a vehicle or structure’s signature Defense, as shown on Table 4.78: Self-Guided Weapons. Two attack checks are required to fire a self-guided weapon, the first of which is used to “lock” the second onto the target. No ammunition is lost if the first attack misses, but the second attack — which actually fires the shot — suffers a –20 penalty. The attacker may re-try the first attack check to gain a lock, negating this penalty. No self-guided weapon may attack a target of smaller than Large Size. Terminal-Guided Weapons: These include laser- and wire-guided missiles. Terminal-guided weapons must receive direct input from a human operator until they impact. Each attack with a terminal-guided weapon must be aimed, and an additional Aim action must be taken during each round of hang time, lest the operator suffer a –20 penalty with his attack check. Only the first Aim action taken grants a bonus to attack; each additional Aim action negates the penalty for 1 range increment to the target. The same character must take all of these Aim actions, including the first. With a television- or wire-guided weapon, this character must be the attacker. With a laser-guided weapon, however, it may be anyone who can “paint” the target with a laser designator. Indirect Fire Some weapons launch projectiles on long, arcing trajectories and may strike targets outside line of sight — in some cases, even over the horizon. This is known as “indirect fire.” A character possessing the Indirect weapon proficiency may make this type of attack with any weapon capable of indirect fire. An indirect fire attack always targets one 5-ft. square. To make an indirect fire attack, a character must either be able to see the target square or be in voice contact with another character who can (this character is referred to as a forward observer). When making an attack against a target he can see, the character resolves the attack normally. When making an attack with the assistance of a forward observer, the forward observer must first take 1 half action to relay the target square’s coordinates. This requires a Tactics (Int) skill check (DC 15) that has the Concentration and Vision tags. With success, the attacking character may make his attack, but his attack check gains a result cap equal to the forward observer’s skill check result. A forward observer who watches an indirect fire attack land can “adjust fire,” relaying instructions to the attacker to improve his next attack. This requires 1 additional half action and another Tactics skill check (DC 15). Each successful adjustment grants the attacker a cumulative +1 morale bonus with indirect fire attack checks targeting the same square (maximum equal to the attacker’s Wisdom modifier, if positive). Hang Time “Hang time” is the delay between a slow- or far-moving weapon attack and its strike. The distance to the target determines an appropriate attack’s hang time, as shown on Table 4.79: Hang Time. When a character fires a weapon that’s subject to hang time, he doesn’t make the attack check until his Initiative Count during the round in which the hang time ends (all modifiers are applied based on the round the attack was initiated, however). The attack is resolved immediately after the character makes his attack check. Each attack with hang time must target a square; it may not target a character, vehicle, or item. Small- and Large-Scale Melee Weapons A melee weapon scaled for a Small character is requested at the standard cost and is subject to the following rules. *The weapon’s Size decreases by 1 category. *If the weapon’s threat range is 19–20 or better, it worsens by 1 (e.g. a threat range of 18–20 becomes 19–20). *If the weapon’s damage includes a flat bonus (e.g. 1d4+1, 1d6+2, etc.), the bonus decreases by 1. If the weapon has no flat bonus (e.g. 1d4, 1d6), its damage decreases to the next lower die type (e.g. 1d6 damage becomes 1d4). If the weapon’s damage is 2d6, it becomes 1d12. A melee weapon scaled for a Large character costs 1 additional upgrade (though the GC may choose to waive this increase if the setting includes many Large characters). Further, the weapon is subject to the following rules. *The weapon’s Size increases by 1 category. *The weapon’s damage die type increases by 1 (e.g. 1d4 becomes 2d4, 1d6+1 becomes 1d8+1, etc.). If the weapon’s damage is 1d12, it becomes 2d6+1. Throwing Non-Hurled Weapons The general rules for hurled weapon ranges are found in the table key on page 225. When a character throws a non-hurled weapon, however — such as a sword — his range increment is equal to 5 ft. × (his Strength Modifier + 1, minimum 2). Further, the character suffers a –2 penalty with his attack check when throwing a 1-handed melee weapon, or a –6 penalty with his attack check when throwing a 2-handed melee weapon. Weapon Qualities Qualities are one of the ways that broad, identical rules are applied to large numbers of vehicles and weapons. Qualities may not be added or removed except through the application of certain upgrades. A weapon may not possess two mutually exclusive qualities (e.g. and either or , and , and , and ). If a weapon possesses one of these qualities and gains the other, both qualities are lost (though one of them may be added later without incident). Weapon Tables Weapon Upgrades & Ammo -AW **A